alibre STEP exporter lacking..?

[HaroldL]

Harold,

It's Feature defined only (not Faces).

I don't know if there's any way to carry forward Feature Colors into AP 214, or not - or whether this would be of any use in HyperShot. What happens with SolidWorks sub-Part colors?

For many situations, you can create the logo etc. as a separate Part.

I expect material assignment by face will come to HyperShot, soon.

Miles,
I ran a quick test with a part out of SolidWorks. I used the same part that Ralf helped me with from Alibre.
After importing it in to SW, I saved it out as a native SW part, STEP203, STEP214, and IGES.
Before each save I placed an embossed text label to tell them apart and I also applied, what's now called "Appearances" in SW2009, to several surfaces.

Here are the results:


Other than a scaling issue, both the SW part and the IGES file imported with all its pieces, the SWpart also bringing in the color mapping. Both of the STEP files lost some surfaces during the import, although the STEP214 did bring in the color mapping.

I don't have a screen shot of it, but I just imported a STEP214 file out of Alibre and it came in scaled up about 4 times larger than the SW STEPs. All the files imported after the first had all the options except "Retain Materials" checked on the import dialog.

So there you have it. It looks like STEP214 does carry color information down to the surface level, at least from SolidWorks. According to Bunkspeed, colors and textures have to be applied in the CAD application since HyperShot does not support mapping materials to surfaces within HS.

If AD v12 Feature colors do not export with in the STEP214 format, like SW, then it will be interesting to see what kind of "work arounds" will have to be created to accomplish the same results.

Then we have HyperShot v2 coming out soon too, and what enhancements will that have?
H.
v11.2

 

[HaroldL]

Harold,

I want to start with your first question:
The 3D Fillet <10> was too big/large, that`s all.
.

Ralf,
Thanks, I found it confusing that IGES would export the part with all the surfaces while STEP would not. I even found the same issue exporting from SolidWorks, (see my previous post). It will be something to check in the future though.

Harold,

...As with a photo camera -> Normal usage -> the lens focal length -> most common is 50.
In your example, without a scale factor, your focal lenght is: 500 -700
A focal lenght in a range: 500 -700 is the area of "telefoto lens" and the photos are looking "flat",
and the reflections of the HS Environment looks scattered.

Are you talking about the image you rendered and posted? If I remember the image I posted had a camera focal length of 50.

The best range for parts in HS is 35 -> 120, if you need a closer view/look, then you can scale x2, x3 ....

Yes, I found that while the default focal length seems to be 35, I will set it to 50 to simulate the "normal" lens on a SLR camera. 80-85 for a zoom lens, and 28 or less for the wide angle to fisheye range. I have been setting up the scenes just as if I were holding my SLR camera, set the focal length, like changing the lens, and then "walk" around the scene and dolly in or out to frame the view I want.
But I am still learning so any hints I can pick up along the way a worth it.

Which Environment did you use?

I use an add. HDRI Environment bundle : Bathroom-Bath_Large.hdr -->> "Warm lighting for number of objects, not just bathroom accessories"

Btw.: The most HS Standard Environments are "CAR Environments of shiny fantasy limousines " :lol: , but for the representations of mechanical designs -> not so well suited.

Ah, I see, the softer HDRI environment toned down the reflections and brightness. It almost looked like a dark to black chrome was applied the the part.
It looks like I'll have to get some different HDRI's. You're right, the ones that come with HS are bright.

Thanks again,
H.
v11.2

 

[MilesH]

So there you have it. It looks like STEP214 does carry color information down to the surface level, at least from SolidWorks. According to Bunkspeed, colors and textures have to be applied in the CAD application since HyperShot does not support mapping materials to surfaces within HS.

Thanks for checking this, Harold. Looks like we'll have to ask for Feature colors in STEP Export, as well as 3D PDF, then...

Although HS doesn't support mapping by face, at present, I don't see any reason why it can't do so...

Preview of HS V2 coming here: http://www.develop3d.com/2009/09/hypers ... art-i.html

 

[Ralf]

[Yes, I found that while the default focal length seems to be 35, I will set it to 50 to simulate the "normal" lens on a SLR camera. 80-85 for a zoom lens, and 28 or less for the wide angle to fisheye range. I have been setting up the scenes just as if I were holding my SLR camera, set the focal length, like changing the lens, and then "walk" around the scene and dolly in or out to frame the view I want.
But I am still learning so any hints I can pick up along the way a worth it.

Harold,
The "Focal Lenght" is default 35, but if you "walk" around the scene (Dolly) then the Focal Lenght is changed -> variable.
You can watch the "Focal Lenght" in realtime with: Image -> Legend

 

[Ralf]

Are you talking about the image you rendered and posted? If I remember the image I posted had a camera focal length of 50.

Harold, please have a look: That would be a "Focal Lenght" of 50 with your model and a Scale factor of :1
If you need a closer View/Look, then you have to "Scale" the model.
.

 

[MilesH]

Ralf,

I think you're wrong. Dollying the camera (moving it towards or away from the object) does not change the focal length. That wouldn't make sense. There's one control for zoom (controls the focal length of the lens) and another for dolly (controls the distance of the camera from the object).

 

[NateLiquidGravity]

I think we are confusing things. See pic.

 

[Ralf]

Hi Miles,

We do not speak about "Dollying ".
But I think you can explain it much, much better.

My humble examples I have already shown above, made with: "Scale" the small model and use a "Focal Lenght" of :~ 100.
No DOF and I think not tooo bad.

 

[MilesH]

Hi Miles,
We do not speak about "Dollying ".

Hi Ralf,

Sorry, but you did :

Harold,
The "Focal Lenght" is default 35, but if you "walk" around the scene (Dolly) then the Focal Lenght is changed -> variable.
You can watch the "Focal Lenght" in realtime with: Image -> Legend

 

[Ralf]

Hi Miles,

Alt + LMB = Dolly ?
Alt + Wheel = Dolly ?

I use Alt + Wheel in my example, (without DOF )

Here is a quick clip:
http://www.alibre.info/uploads/Focal-Sc ... Scale.html

Btw: Your English is better than mine.

 

[MilesH]

Alt + RMB drag = Dolly :wink:

Using Scale will change the size of the model relative to the background, no?

 

[Ralf]

Alt + Wheel ->> I used and associated with "Scale" and "Focal Length"...

The Backplate has a high resolution.

 

[MilesH]

If you have no Backplate and no DOF enabled, manipulating the Scale of the model will give a similar result to Dollying the camera, even if it is an awkward way to go about things.

Your actual work is, as ever, exemplary

 

[Ralf]

Miles my "Backplate" and my "Environment" ...
Please have a look:
.

 

[MilesH]

Looks great

Ok, no Environment, then

 

[Ralf]

Thank you Miles.

Harold,

What is the significance of increasing the Scale in HyperShot to 8?

I try to explain, and I hope you can understand my Google-English.

As with a photo camera -> Normal usage -> the lens focal length -> most common is 50.
In your example, without a scale factor, your focal lenght is: 500 -700
A focal lenght in a range: 500 -700 is the area of "telefoto lens" and the photos are looking "flat",
and the reflections of the HS Environment looks scattered.
The best range for parts in HS is 35 -> 120, if you need a closer view/look, then you can scale x2, x3 ....

Which Environment did you use?

I use an add. HDRI Environment bundle : Bathroom-Bath_Large.hdr -->> "Warm lighting for number of objects, not just bathroom accessories"

Btw.: The most HS Standard Environments are "CAR Environments of shiny fantasy limousines " :lol: , but for the representations of mechanical designs -> not so well suited.

Btw. The most HS Renderings have a Backplate and an Environment...

 

[MilesH]

So re-scaling the object (not true-to-scale) is not a good idea, then

 

[Ralf]

I hope my screenshots show it better than my Google English